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"Valeen...tai? Is it some kind of food?"
"Paimon, she said Valentines and obviously it's not food."
The stall owner laughs at the duo's confusion of the newly introduced event in which she just told them about. It is expected since celebrating Valentine's day is not really a tradition in Liyue but more like some sort of a trend started by young couples who want to celebrate their love.
"Well, there are some signature foods for Valentine's day. Liyue harbor often imports a lot of sweets to sell during this day, especially chocolate."
"Paimon doesn't know what it is, but this chocolate thing seems really good."
Lumine might have just seen her eyes gleaming at the mention of the particular sweet.
"Chocolate in general can be really diverse in tastes and looks. That's why some people make hand-made chocolate to better fit their partner's preferences. Besides, they also said that hand-made chocolate is better since they are made with love."
Making chocolate huh? Maybe Lumine should try one and give it to Childe. Since he gives her gifts all the time, it would be nice to give him something back as a thank you.
"Do you have someone in mind, miss traveler?"
That caught her off-guard.
"Huh, me? Well, I was just thinking…"
"You should totally try to get your hand on it! My shop provides the full kit for you to make your own chocolate without even having to shop for anything. Besides, if you get it now, I will give a discount along with a ticket to a series of Valentine's day DIY workshops which consists of pottery making, painting and making a one of a kind teddy bear for your special one!!”
“I’ll take it!”
“Thanks for your purchase!”
~***~
“Paimon wants to eat chocolate!”
“Well, you will have to wait then. I want to save chocolate-making as our last activity after we come back to our teapot so you will have to endure me going through these series of workshops.”
“Ughhh!! Who was the person that thought of these time-consuming activities anyway!??”
Probably Nigguang. She would have thought these things could be money makers and judging by the way Lumine left the shop with a bunch of unreasonable stuff in her arms after ten minutes listening to the seller talk her into it, the business woman had made another astonishing decision like always.
~***~
Lumine was expecting the workshops would help her make something unique and cool enough to give Childe.
Except it didn’t.
She looks in the cardboard box in her arms. What’s inside it, you said?
Well, first of all is a supposed-heart shaped clay bowl which came from the pottery making workshop.
She has thought this workshop was going to be the easiest since she sees people do it all the time. You just have to throw a ball of clay onto a spinning wheel and shape it, seems easy enough right??
Apparently not.
The ball of clay that she had seemed to have some grief with her since it wouldn’t even budge to move in the way she wanted. She initially wanted to make a heart-shaped bowl but when she was done with the shaping, it honestly just looked butt-shaped. And it’s not even a smooth round pair of cheeks.
The instructor at the workshop did take some pity on her and offered to make her another bowl by themselves but after what they have gone through, trying to help her and her clumsy hands? She didn't dare to bother them any further. So in the end, she just signed and watched the bowl go through the heat as the disappointment in her creation slowly hardened into the final product.
Next up is the painting which looks like it was made by a five years old kid, except for the fact that its creator has probably lived for more than 500 years.
For those who want to know, going to a painting or similar kind of workshops without any ideas or sketches is a bad idea when you’re not an artistic person. Since Lumine didn’t take into account that the workshop only lasts for 2 hours, she spent more than one hour to come up with what she wants to draw. But only after then did she realize that her idea is basically unable to be done considering the amount of time that she has left.
Besides, having limited art supplies is also a part of the struggle. Lumine has to fight with the other girls to get the paint for the shade of blue that she wanted to use, not literally but yeah. Who knew that there were so many couples that have their special moments tied to the sea in general?
In the end, Lumine has to leave with her half-done painting in her hands.
The teddy bear was her last hope, though it doesn’t seem to turn out great either.
She wanted to make a mini-version of the blue narwhal that Childe always threw on her but the result is just as painful as the damage that gigantic water blob dealt on her.
Cotton is spilling from the poor sewing line, the supposed-to-be horn on the plushie just looks like a toothpick made out of felt and it is looking at her with an award smile because for archon sake, she doesn’t know how to sew a proper line!
Lumine looks down at the box and takes another glance at the failed products from all the workshops that she took the whole day to attend.
She sighed heavily. Is she that clumsy?
“Paimon thinks they look okay though. Even so, if the Mora Bag guy dares to say anything bad, Paimon is gonna punch him in his face!” Paimon held out her little hands and threw little imaginary punches in the air.
“Thanks Paimon, though I don’t think I will give these to him.” She put on a sad smile.
“Why not? You spent a lot of time on them.”
“I know, but it's just that… his gifts are always so unique and amazing and these are just…”
Horrible, tremendous, catastrophic.
She sighed again.
“Let’s go home and make that chocolate. I bet you have been really hungry after all those workshops.”
“Chocolate!!”
Yup, chocolate. At least she still has that kit that she bought and even though Lumine is literally terrible at everything else, fortunately for Lumine, she is pretty good at cooking.
~***~
“Wow!! What’s with the decorations in here?” Childe clearly does not bother expressing the amazed and delighted feelings he has when he steps foot in the teapot.
Earlier that day, he received a very adorable and Lumine-like invitation card from her to a:
Super duper awesome - romantic Valentines dinner,
prepared by the one and only traveler - Lumine.
Yup, no mistakes, it is Lumine herself.
Clearly he had to clear his schedule for the evening and join her on this amazingly prepared dinner, according to what she said.
But to be honest, he was overjoyed. He knows Lumine wasn’t the affectionate kind of person and she seldomly showed any acts of affection towards him. He didn’t really mind since he knew her true feelings but honestly? Seeing her going out of her way to prepare something like this makes him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
“Welcome! you came a little early though. I haven’t done preparing yet.” Lumine pokes her head out from the kitchen and gives him the brightest smile ever.
Aww, look at her being all cheery! She even got a little chocolate on her face!
“I can spend time helping you though, is there anything to do?” He comes closer and proceeds to wipe the chocolate off her face with his thumb.
“Nah ah ah. Today I’m gonna prepare everything like I have announced. There will be a full-course meal for us with a special dessert only for this special occasion, and all of them are prepared by this master chef right here.” She points her thumb at herself, acting all smug.
Childe burst out laughing, she is truly a bundle of joy.
“Okay then, princess. I guess I will have to find something else to do then, perhaps like laundry. I bet the basket is overflowing with dirty clothes now.”
“Yeah, you can do that. Now excuse me! The fancy dishes are waiting for me to cast some magic on them.” Lumine stands on her toes and gives him a peck on the cheek before turning back into the kitchen.
Childe stood there for a minute being awed at how amazingly cute Lumine was before setting out to do the laundry while humming a happy tune.
~***~
“Lumine, what is this?”
“Yes?”
She turns around from the stove and her face immediately fills with horror at the realization of what Childe is asking her about.
He found her box. Yes, the box .
Ughhh, she should have thrown them away when she had the chance. However, being the idiot that gets emotional bonds with pitiful-looking items she is, she kept all her fail items since she felt too bad to throw them out.
“Did you make all of these?”
“Yes, initially for you.”
That was a heavy yes.
“What do you mean ‘initially’?” He frowned upon hearing that.
“Well, you see. They are…well, failed attempts. I wanted to make some gifts for you but they turned out terrible.” She feels so horrible saying that after all the time and effort she put into making them.
“Don’t say that! I’m sure they don’t look as bad as you say. Like this…bowl.” He pulls out the butt-shaped bowl.
“It's supposed to be heart-shaped. I wanted for you to use it and remember when we cooked for each other.”
“Well, it…certainly looks fascinating. And this is a painting! In which you drew…?”
“Our beach date. We always get to know so much about each other whenever we have those dates so I like to think of them as a worth-keeping memory.”
“Oh, that’s…so lovely.” Childe thinks he is blushing right now.
“The last one is a narwhal plushie, like the ones that you always threw on me when we spars.” Lumine seems to be too busy dwelling in the misery that she is feeling to even notice the red shade that is creeping onto his face.
“They are terrible compared to what you often give me. Yours are always so thoughtful and beautiful while mine are just…”
“Lumine, please, no. Don’t say that!”
“But that’s the truth.”
“Lumine!”
The way he calls her makes her snap out of her dwelling.
“Look at me.”
She looks up and realizes what he is trying to tell her. The way his speckled cheeks glow pink, the way his eyes gazed at her all so softly with the utmost sincerity.
“These…these gifts are just perfect, Lumine. They look a bit impaired, sure, but they are so you-like. I can look at them being displayed on my bookshelves and proudly think that ‘She made them for me, while thinking about us’. The fact that you go through your way making all of these makes me very happy, since you are never the one to feel comfortable sharing how you feel.”
Now she’s the one being all embarrassed and stuff. She just didn’t expect that reaction from him.
“What I mean is! Can I have these at home with me, Lumine?”
She hates when he’s being all affectionate like this. Because! Look at him! The way he looks at her like he just found that one moment in life where he feels perfectly satisfied with everything, and she is the center of that. That look, it made her feel all fuzzy and warm and so, so weak.
“Yeah, yeah! Sure, I mean, why not?” Shit, now she stuttered.
“Thank you! Now let’s get to the main event, shall we? I’m eager to taste that special desert that you have prepared.”
She almost forget about that.
“Right, right! You still have to try my skillful cooking! You go sit in, I will go prepare the courses.”
“My, yes of course! I wondered what you have prepared for me, Lumine.”
“Well, at least I can guarantee you the desert was a huge success!”
“I don’t mind if they are like the other attempts though.”
“Stop teasing or I will kick you out.”
“Sorry, sorry.” He laughs and puts his hands up.
In the end, no matter what Lumine decides to make with that chocolate, certainly it tastes like the love she has for him. Behind the bitter taste when you first put it in your mouth, is the sweet sweet taste of true affection that can only Childe can see.